William h



(No Model.)

W. H. PRICE. PADLOOK.

No. 438,824. Patented Oct. 21, 1890.

aim, Y/ v ttwwow UNITED STATES WVILLIAM H. PRICE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

TO JOHN F. SHEA, OF SAME PLACE.

PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR PADLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,824, dated October 21, 1890.

Application filed March 26, 1890- Serial No. 345,363. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Padlocks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in padlocks; and it consists in providing a padlock-case of peculiar construction with a locking mechanism wherein the locking-bolt is held out of engagement with its keeper by one end of a spring and in locked engagement by the other end of the spring acting upon a sliding catch operating within a guide-block, aswill be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

The object of the invention is to produce a simple and cheap lock the mechanism of which shall be most effective in operation and durable in use. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a perspective View of my improved padlock; Fig. 2, a plan View with the back plate removed, showing the mechanism in operative position; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view on line ccwof Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a detail view of the sliding catch and guide-block.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, in which- A indicates the lock-case, which is of peculiar form and construction, being approximately oblong in shape and provided with a staple-slot B, extending inwardly from one of its outer edges, and as thus constructed resembles a block letter U in shape. The edge walls of one of the stems of this ,U-shaped case are perforated to receive the locking-bolt C, which operates across and at right angles to the line of the slot 13. The inner wall of the opposite stem is recessed at a to receive the end of the bolt and serves as a keeper for the same. The front plate of the lock-case is perforated to receive akey-socketD,which rotates within a slotted cylinder d, secured between the front and back plates. A guideblock E is fitted between the walls of the stem that carries the locking-bolt and is recessed at opposite sides to receive, respectively, one end of a spring G and asliding catch H. The locking-bolt is cut away at c to receive one of the forked ends of the spring G and at c to receive the sliding catch H. This sliding catch is provided with ahooked end 71-, which extends into the slotted cylinder 61 to be engaged by the wards of the key. The other forked end of the spring engages a shoulder h on the sliding catch and serves to force the catch into the recess 0 when the bolt is in looking position and there securely hold it until released by the operation of'the key. The end of the spring engaging the bolt serves to throw the bolt out of engagement with its keeper when the sliding catch has been withdrawn from the recess 0 by the operation of the key.

The operation of the various parts is obvious from the above description without further explanation other than to state that when the key is inserted in its socket and turned the wards of the key engage the hook end 71. and the sliding catch is forced out of the recess 0', releasing the bolt to the free action of the spring. The bolt is forced into locked position by simply pressing upon its outer end with the thumb or finger.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a padlock, the combination, with the U-shaped lock-case havingthe inner andouter walls of one of its stems perforated to receive the locking-bolt and the other recessed to serve as a keeper for said bolt, of a straight locking-bolt adapted to operate through said perforated stem across and at right angles to an open staple-slot formed in the lock-case between the stems thereof, substantially as specified.

2. The combination,with the U-shapedlockcase and locking-bolt, of a sliding catch, a

' rotating key-socket, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with the lock-case havin g an open endstaple-slot and a recess for receiving the locking-bolt, of a locking-bolt, a sliding catch, a spring engaging said bolt and catch, a recessed guide-block, and a cylinder carrying a rotating key-socket, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in :0

presence of two Witnesses.

WVILLIAM H. PRICE.

Witnesses:

.T. R. NOTTINGHAM, PHILIP F. LARNER. 

